


Ghoul Hunting

by Trollvine



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2014-03-30
Packaged: 2018-01-17 13:31:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1389505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trollvine/pseuds/Trollvine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having made a hasty truce, Oliver Queen and Dr. Mid-Nite chase down the elusive ghoul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ghoul Hunting

**Author's Note:**

> The second (and probably last) chapter in this little series. There are far fewer errors here than in my last work, so enjoy!

"It's called The Ghoul!" Dr. Mid-Nite explained as he sprinted alongside Oliver down the quickly fogging streets. "Back in Portsmouth there was a corporation called Praeda industries running all kinds of unsavory biological experiments. They were… forced out of business. But their legacy lives on in unfortunate creatures like the Ghoul." 

Oliver nodded. Above him he could see Charlie, Mid-Nites owl, silently gliding on the breeze. "Should I assume you had a hand 'forcing' Praeda out of business?" 

Dr. Mid-Nite looked grim. "If you like. They and their drugs are no longer an issue on Portsmouth's streets. But there will always be things that need cleaning up, such as the Ghoul. I tracked it from Portsmouth south to Starling City." He glanced at Oliver. "Your city will be a lot safer when that thing is off the streets." 

Oliver flexed his shoulder, wincing, and nodded. "Alright, so where is this thing heading?" 

They ran across an empty alleyway, vaulting a low wooden fence and sprinting across a backyard. Oliver could hear police sirens in the distance, growing closer, red and blue lights beginning to strobe against trees and buildings. Mid-Nite tapped his goggles, manipulating some dial or button Oliver could not see.

"It will try to find water. You told me it broke into the Starling City morgue, that means… well, let's just say it will want to find water." 

Oliver nodded. "The docks on the river, Star Harbor. That would be the closest source of water, this way!" He turned, Mid-Nite tailing along after him as they leapt another fence, landing among the dark trees that lined the top of a steep hill, looming over the river. Oliver tapped his earpiece. Down below, the small lights of the boats at moor in Star harbor. "Felicity, get on the cameras in Star Harbor. We think the Ghoul may be in that area, i'll need some extra eyes on it." 

"I'm on it Oliver. Just be careful. I'll send Dig to that area for lookout." Felicity's voice buzzed in Oliver's ear.

Mid-Nite nodded at Oliver. "You don't tackle this sort of thing alone. Smart." 

Oliver stared at Mid-Nite levelly. "I have people I trust." 

Mid-Nite stared back for a moment, then reach up to his goggles and cowl, pulling both off. The man beneath had short, spiky black hair, with a smear of stubble on his face. When he opened his eyes, Oliver could see each iris was a bright, electric white, utterly unlike any eyes he had ever seen before. They almost glowed by themselves, and were extremely hard to look away from. The man blinked. 

"I already trust you, Archer. My only concern is capturing the Ghoul, and that will happen fast if I can get you to trust me." He held his hand out, inviting a handshake. "Dr. Pieter Cross." 

Oliver shook his hand, lifting his hood off, wincing as Felicity's voice buzzed loudly in his ear. 

"Oliver, did he say Pieter Cross? As in, Doctor Pieter Cross? From Portsmouth? Oliver, he's a genius! He practically wrote the book on modern medicine! I tried to get an internship at Portsmouth General when he was giving a lecture on chemistry at Starling tw-" 

Oliver popped the earpiece out. "Oliver Queen. My.. Tech girl has heard your name. She seems to trust you, and that speaks volumes for me." 

Pieter's eyes swiveled, and he blinked a few more times. "Queen… Oliver Queen, the boy who returned from the island… incredible. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Queen. Now, I think we have a Ghoul to catch."

Oliver and Dr. Mid-Nite flew down the slope, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs. The Star Harbor lights bounced closer and closer into view.  
"Oliver!" Mid-Nite shouted. "Charlie's got a visual on the Ghoul! Its swimming for the docks!" He pressed his goggles, tapping into the video feed from the camera his pet owl carried. 

Oliver did a double take. "The boats… Damn, there's a charity event going on tonight, those boats will be swarming with people!" He and Mid-Nite broke the tree line of the park, sprinting across the grass towards the metal fence that separated the harbor parking lot from the open field and beach. Oliver tapped his earpiece again. "Felicity, the target is swimming for the docks. Keep me posted if anything comes out of the water!" 

Mid-Nite scrambled up the metal fence, followed by Oliver as they took off across the parking lot. Keeping to the shadows, they easily vaulted a decorative rope barricade, their boots pounding on the dry wooden docks. They could hear music and voices coming from a yacht maybe 30 yards away. Lights were strung all over the occupied vessels, creating a miniature city of twinkling ropes that threw long shadows across the remaining boats and docks of Star Harbor. 

"Oliver!" Felicity shouted into his earpiece. "Left! NOW!" 

Oliver turned, drawing an arrow and firing it in one smooth motion. He saw, only for a fraction of a second, the awkward shape of the ghoul pulling it self from the river onto the docks. He let the arrow go, hearing the satisfying hiss and thud of the arrow slamming into his target. 

The ghoul was unfazed, turning and growling fiercely, lifting itself onto the docks, already running towards Oliver. He fired two more arrows, each thumping into the ghouls chest, but the creature didn't seem affected. It snarled, saliva and blood flecking from it's fangs as it closed the distance between them in a heartbeat.

"Get back!" Mid-Nite pushed Oliver aside, hurling a canister from his belt straight into the ghouls face. There was a crack and a hissing sound, and darkness pounced into being, the shadows of the pier stretching and contorting themselves to choke all the vision from Oliver's eyes. He could feel Mid-Nite between them but could see nothing, unable to use his bow or arrows. He cursed, turning and running back along the dock. Behind him, he heard a splash.

A few more feet and the darkness began to give way to light again. A few feet further he could see again. Oliver looked back, the remains of the darkness canister hovering eerily on the docks, billowing like ink underwater. The voices and music could still be heard, but Mid-Nite and the ghoul were gone. The surface of the water rippled, but the reflections of the lights made seeing below it impossible. 

Oliver cocked an arrow, turning frantically. "Felicity, did you see that? Do you have eyes on either of them?"

The earpiece buzzed. "Sorry Oliver, i'm looking! Whatever those canisters are that Dr. Cross is using, they make everything too dark to see!"

There was splash behind him, and Oliver whirled. He waited a split second to see what made it before he loosed the arrow. The ghoul roared free of the water, blood smearing its fangs and mouth. Oliver fired, the arrow barely leaving the bow before it lodged right into the chest of the monster. The ghoul struck Oliver, grabbing the bow with glistening talons and nearly tipping him into the dark waters. 

Oliver strained his legs, trying to hold himself at the edge of the docks while keeping his bow between him and the creature. Jaws snapped and hissed as the ghoul lunged at Oliver's neck, tongue lolling around the razor sharp teeth. Oliver braced for one moment, summoning all his strength and pushing back, forcing the ghoul away for a split second. He released his bow, whipping his last arrow from his quiver and slamming it into the creatures neck.

The ghoul grunted, reeling for a moment. It flailed, arms swinging wildly and catching Oliver on the side of his head, tearing through the hood, mask and skin with ease. Oliver dropped to one knee as the monster loomed over him, clutching his face.

There was a loud swishing sound, and an inhuman scream. Oliver glanced up, through his bloody haze, and saw Charlie, the owl, strike the ghouls head like a comet. The bird was massive, slicing with wicked talons into the monsters head, bringing forth a spray of dark blood. The ghoul flailed and screeched, trying to claw at the massive bird as it gracefully winged out of reach. 

The distraction was enough. A pair of black leather clad arms appeared from behind the ghoul, one clutching its neck, the other placing a hand on the monsters face, braving the snapping jaws. For a moment there was a struggle, the ghoul squirming in the grip of its assailant. But only for a moment.

The arms jerked cruelly, and there was a loud snap. The ghouls flailing limbs went suddenly limp, its head twisted in an extremely unnatural direction. 

Dr. Mid-Nite let his hands slowly release the creature, opening his arms wide and gracefully letting the limp, ashen ghoul drop to the docks with a thud. 

Behind them, the music and voices could still be heard, laughter and the soft clink of champagne glasses. Oliver took slow, deep breaths, trying to clear his head. He stood, legs still weak and trembling, and retrieved his bow from where it had been flung by the ghoul. 

Water dripped from Mid-Nite's clothes as he panted, wiping his face. "Wish i didn't have to do that. Whoever this person was before Praeda got him… maybe he could have been saved." 

Oliver shook his head slowly. "It's one more murderer off the streets of Starling City. I'm going to call that a win." He tapped his earpiece again. "Felicity, tell Dig I'll need a ride from Star Harbor."

He turned to Pieter. "Dr. Cross. Thank you for getting this thing out of my city. If you're ever in the Glades, stop by the nightclub Verdant. My… Tech expert would be thrilled to meet you."

Pieter Cross grinned. "I would like that, Mr. Queen. Here." He handed Oliver a small black bottle. "Apply some of that to your cut tonight, to prevent infection. It doesn't look so deep that it will need stitches, but keep an eye on it." Oliver accepted the bottle, tucking it into his own belt. He turned and looked over at the parking lot. "I need to get to the streets." He turned back. "My ride will be here so-" 

Dr. Mid-Nite was gone. Oliver was alone on the docks, the soft music of an undisturbed charity event mixing with the flapping of an owl's wings in the cool Starling City night.


End file.
